The Phoenix Coyotes have a tangible desperation.

They're fighting for a playoff spot and are pretty much already in postseason mode.

The Dallas Stars have to find a way to manufacture that desperation artificially, or they could be facing more games like the one they lost, 2-1, Wednesday night at American Airlines Center.

The Stars did some good things, but they fell short of a Phoenix team that did a lot of hard things. The Coyotes had just 16 shots on goal, but they battled to get to the front of the net. The Coyotes had 16 blocked shots to nine for the Stars.

And the Coyotes were killed in the face-off circle (winning just 17-of-48 overall), but they won 12-of-16 in the third period when they were protecting a 2-1 lead.

"We just have to pay the price to win, and right now, we're not doing it," Stars coach Dave Tippett said of the team's back-to-back losses. "It's a desperation level, and we better recognize that."

The Stars continued their practice of allowing the first goal in a game. They have done it 37 times in 70 games, and gotten away with it a lot. Their 18-18-1 record when the opponent scores first is one of the best in the league.

But it's a dangerous game when you're playing against teams that want to get a lead and lock down their defense.

"We're finding goals this year," captain Brenden Morrow said of the ability to overcome early deficits. "But that's a tough way to play every night."

Especially when the Stars appear to have plenty of desperate teams awaiting.

Dallas has a home-and-home with seventh place Colorado over the weekend. The Stars follow that with games against Detroit, Vancouver and Anaheim.

"We're not matching their intensity to start the game, and it shouldn't be that way," said defenseman Mattias Norstrom. "It's do-or-die for them, and we need to recognize that right from the start. We need to match that desperation."

But how? The Stars went on a recent 13-2-0 run where they took over the second-best record in hockey (now 41-24-5). They've risen above the group battling to get into the playoffs.

Still, they'd like to win the Pacific Division. They'd like to secure home ice in the playoffs. They'd like to start playing like a playoff team.

"We have to find that working identity," Tippett said. "When you have your best players setting the example of working hard, that usually flows through your team."

Brad Winchester, who has been a frequent healthy scratch this season, and Toby Petersen, who was called up from the minors Tuesday, created the Stars' only goal on a hard-working rush to the net. Petersen took a shot and Winchester charged in to bat in the rebound.

For much of the rest of the game, the Stars were content to pound away from the perimeter. Yes, Phoenix goalie Ilya Bryzgalov came up with some big saves, but he also had plenty of help from teammates who sold out and made it very tough for the Stars to get in front of the goal.

"I think the energy and work are there, but we have to be better at recognizing what kind of game we're in," goalie Marty Turco said.

And that is a game of desperation.

"We didn't pay the price," Morrow said. "Every game is going to be hard, and we are going to see every team's top game, so we need to be ready."